Hi Everyone,

I'm working on a Flying Geese quilt - started the top from a quilt in a day quite a few years ago, and occasionally find time to do a few stitches. I got the enough green, beige, bronze and gold fabric from a scrap bin to do a whole quilt that doesn't look too scrappy.

I recently found that Flying Geese is an Underground Railroad pattern that along with other symbolic patterns used to be hung out on clotheslines as a sign that household was a safe haven for slave escaping to Canada.

Does anybody know of other patterns or have examples they could post? I find this a doubly fascinating quilt topic. First our foremothers made quilts in religious and theme patterns just for their own family and community use, but to then use specific patterns in this wonderful way is pretty compelling.

Will try to do a decent photo and try send this aft. I'm terrible at this bit of techie stuff, so here's hoping.

Maurene

I heard that the Log Cabin block was used the same way. The color of the central block designated safety or a warning, but then I read an article on quilt history that said that none of the quilt patterns with these stories attached have been proven....but that was one article. Interesting topic, though, isn't it?

Very interesting. Am going to suss out the net for info and will post it

Thanks for your post.

Maurene

I found this article - very interesting:
http://www.quilthistory.com/ugrrquilts.htm

Funny, I had to do the same thing. :)

Here are some links I found:

http://www.osblackhistory.com/quilts.php

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/n...avequilts.html

Thanks, I'll check them out!

Maurene

Here is my example of the one I did using Eleanor Burn's book Underground Railroad.
I really enjoyed making these blocks.

http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-25502-1.htm

Blessings,
Sandi

This is exactly what I've always say, "Stay away from the pictures". Sandi, your quilt is absolutely gorgeous! Now, I'll have to move this up on my to-do list.

I don't care if the stories about this quilt are true or not, I love the idea of putting history, of any kind, on a quilt and will definitely make this one. :thumbup:

If you do a search on here for Underground Railroad you'll find several threads. Some of them have gotten quite controversial other whether it actually happened or not but they're fun and informative to read.